Visible index binder



June 7, 1932. J. L. M MILLAN VISIBLE INDEX BINDER Filed June 11, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet W mm A770 'NEVS June 7, 1932.

J. L. M MILI AN VISIBLE INDEX BINDER 2 Sheets-Sheet .Filed June 11, 1928 u llllllllllllllll W/ TNES 5' ATTDHNEKS' Patented June 7, 1932 umreni: era

JOE-N111:- MGMILLAN; or rsYnAoUsn NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR To MGMILLANIBOOKCOME IPANY; or: SYRACUSE, nnw oR-K, A conronarron or new YORK VISIBLE INDEX {BINDER Application filed June 11,

Thisiinve'ntion relates to a-new and improved loose leaf binder of a type adapted to be used as a-visible index binder.

' IVhenitis'Edesired to use a loose leaf binde1: as a visible index "binder it is customary to have the sheets which are used with the binder of sucha height inrelation to the height of thebinder itselfthat they may be placed in the-binder 'inoverlapping relation-so that a 19 portion of-each sheet-is at all times exposed,

theindexingindicia being placed on the exposed portion of a sheet; In using books of this character it is frequently necessary to remove asheet fromthe binder and place a new 'one-in the binder in lieu thereof. ,The position in the 'binderof the sheet which is removed will necessarily vary but it is customary 'to'placethe'replacing sheet at the bottom of the binder. This requires that the sheets which were belowthe sheet removed be'mo'ved upwardlyin the binder in order to leaveaspace at the bottomfor thereception tHIIIEEfLOIYPIOHgS. In'order that thistrans fer may be accomplished it is necessary to operrthe book so thatthe ends of the prongsi may be released to-permit the movement of the sheets inrelation thereto. In order'to' facilitate 'the-transferin'g operation it is desirablethat the book be-locked in-the proper open positioniwhiile' the "transfer is being accomplished-, and-the main object of my inven-= ti'on is' to provide a locking means which will not onlyloc l: the book in the'closedpositmn but will also loclt the boolrintheproper open positionwhen the sheets are being transferred. Other' 'objects and advantages relate to the size, shape and arrangement-of parts all as 1928.- Serial No. 284,448.

will more fully appear from the following de scription taken in connection with the ac companying drawings in which i Figure 1 is a top view of the prongassembly of my book in the closedposition; f

Figure 2 is a-top View of'the prong assem? bly of mybook with the prongs inthe-proper open position for transferof the-sheets and with the prong-carrying plates in the trans-l ferring position. I

Figure 3 is a top view of the prongassembly with the book in the open'position topermit the removal of sheets. i V Figure 4 is a section on'line of ure' 5. Figure 5 is a section on line 5+5 of Fig-' urel. F. Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig? ure 2.

Figure 7 is a section on line 7 o fFigure 35 different types of transferring means,' 'bu' t" for the purpose of explainingthe'construc tion and operation of my device I have here;

shown it in conjunction with a particular type of loose lea-f binder in which the trans fering means is provided by the longitudinal movement of one prong-carryingplatein relation to the other prong-carrying plate The opposed prong -carrying'plates are carried by two housings whichare hingedly'con nected togetherand which in combination provide a back forthe binder. These housings 1 and 2 are similar inconstru'ction so that a description of one will be adescription of the other.

Housing --I has an inner face '3+1 and a top face -4' in right-angular relation thereto and carries a vertically: extending back 5 extending upwardly 'from the outer edge of upper face -4. Abackplate of which upper face -4 is disposed and with back plate 8 extending vertically from the rear longitudinal edge of bottom face -7-. Back plate 8 extends vertically to a short distance beyond the top edge of back A prong-carrying plate 9 having a plurality, in this case shown as ten, of arcuate rods or prongs 10 aflixed thereto by riveting or other convenient means is positioned adjacent the inner face of back 5 and prong-carrying plate 9, back 5 and back plate 8 are then rigidly secured together by rivets --11 or other convenient means. The upper edge of back plate 8 is formed *insuch a way that it may be joined to a cover 12 by means of a hinge connection to permit the movement of cover 12 in relation to housing -1. The bottom edge of inner face -3-, as perhaps may best be seen from Figures 2 and 3, is provided with a plurality of eyes 13- and the opposing inner face 3- of housing 2 is also provided with a plurality of eyes 14, the distance between the eyes 13 being greater than the width of eyes .V14 and the distance between eyes -1 l' being greater than the width of eyes 13 so that when housings 1 and 2 are joined together in hinged relation by themsertion through eyes 13 and 14 of a pintle 15, housings 1 and 2 may be moved longitudinally in relation to each other by the movement of eyes 14 on pintle 15, pintle 15 being fixed in eyes 13- carried by housing 2. The extent of such longitudinal movement of housing -2 in relation to housing ---1--- is in this case shown as the distance between the centers of two adjacent holes in the sheets, not shown, used with the binder, but it will be obvious that the extent of such longitudinal movement may be varied as desired.

As perhaps may best be seen from Figure 4 my locking means consists of a rod 16 affixed in the opposite ends of housing 2, such ends being formed from downwardly bent portions of top face -4 of housing 2. A pair of similar latches 17 and 18 of arcuate metal strips and having a plurality, in this case shown as three, of notches-19 on one edge are pivotally and slidably mounted on rod l6 in spaced relation. Latches -l7 and 18 extend through slots -20- and 21 in the inner face 3 of housing 2, such slots'being wider than the width of latches 17 and 18. Latches 17 and 18 also extend through slots 22 and 23 in housing 1. I provide in housing 1 on the inner side of inner face 3 a keeper rod 24= slidably mounted on pins 25 and having slots 26 and 27 to which latches l7 and 18 extend. The width of slots 26 and -27- is such that when keeper rod 24 is pushed inwardly latches 17 and 18 may move freely through slots -26 and 27 but when keeper rod -24 is pulled outwardly the edges of slots -26- and 27 will engage notches 19 in latches 18 and 17, respectively, to prevent the movement of latches -17 and 18 in relation to keeper rod -24. In order that keeper rod 24l may be normally releasably held in the outward position with the edges of slots 26 and -27- in engagement with notches 19 I provide a spiral spring 28 having one end affixed to housing 1 and having the other end aflixed to keeper rod 24.

The spacing of notches 19 in latches 17 and 18 is such that they will engage keeper rod 24 in three diiferent relative positions of housings -1 and 2. In the first position the book is closed as shown in Figures 1 and 5, in the second position the book is in the proper open position for the transfer of sheets as shown in Figures 2 and 6 and in the third position the book is open to permit the removal of sheets as shown in Figures 3 and 7. a

When it is desired totransfer a sheet in the binder, the sheets are moved over. in position on to the prongs carried by housing 2, one of such sheets -29, partially broken away, being shown in position in Figure 2. The keeper rod -2l-' is then pushed inwardly to release latches 17 and 18 and the binder is opened to the position shown in Figure 2. Housing 2 is then moved longitudinally in relation to housing 1 into the position shown in Figure 2. The sheet' 29 which it is desired to transfer is moved upwardly on the prongs 10'on housing 2 and from such prongs 10 on to the prongs 10 on housing 1. The housing 2. is then moved longitudinally of housing 1 to the normal position, latches 17 and -18- are released from keeper rod 24,, and the book is closed into the position shown in Figure 1. I

As perhaps may best be seen from Figure 2, the transfer of a sheet -29 from the prongs 10 on housing 2 to the prongs 10 on housing 1 while the housing 2- is in an offset relation with housing 1 causes each prong on housing 1 to enter an aperture 30 in a sheet 29 next adjacent to the aperture 30 which it would enter if the book were closed with housings 1 and 2 in the normal position with relation to each other. This being the case when the housing 2 is movedback to the normal position with relation to housing -1 and the book is closed, the 7 book is closed I provide in each of the prongcarrying plates 9 orifices 31 which the ends of the prongs 10 carried by opposing prong-carrying plate 9 enter when the book is closed.

t will be understood that the number of prongs 10- carried by the prong-carry ing plates 9 may be varied as desired and it will also be understood that the extent of the relative longitudinal movement of housing 2 in relation to housing 1 may be varied so that a sheet will be transferred a distance greater than the distance between two adjacent apertures 30. It will also be understood that if desired my latches 17 and 18- may be varied in length as may also be the number of notches in latches 17 and 18 so that thebook may be locked in more than the three posi tions indicated.

It will also be understood that my arrangement of a locking latch and keeper bar is adapted to be used with any type of binder in which the prongs are adapted to be moved to and from each other, for'although I have shown and described a specific structure and form of part as an exemplification of anembodiment of my invention I do not desire to restrict myself to the exact shape, form or relation of parts as various changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, opposed back members hingedly connected together, a plurality of prongs secured to each of said back members, said back members being relatively movable on the axis of the hinge, a latch having one end slidably mounted in one of the back members and having its other end extending into the otl er back memher, a keeper slidably mounted in the lastnamed back member, and means for releasably positioning the keeper in the latch.

2. In a device of the class described, opposed back members hingedly connectedtogether, a plurality of prongs secured to each of said back members, said back members being relatively longitudinally movable on the axis of the hinge, a latch having one end mounted in one of the back members and hav ing its other end extending into the other back member, means permitting longitudinal movement of the back member in relation to the latch mounted therein, a. keeper slidably mounted in the other back member, and means for releasably positioning the keeper in the latch.

3. In a device of the class described, opposed back members hingedly connected together, a plurality of prongs secured to each of said back members, said back members being relatively longitudinally movable on the axis of the hinge, an aperture in one of the back members, a latch means for mounting said latch in said back member to extend outwardly through the aperture andto permit longitudinal movement of the latch relative to theback'member, the aperture being relativelylonger than the width-of the latch to permit said longitudinal movement; an

aperture in the 'otherbac-k member forth'e reception of the-latch,- a keeper. slidably members on the pintle, a plurality of prongs secured to each of the back members, alatch having one end slidably mounted in one of the back members and having its other end extending into the other back member, a keeper slidably mounted on the last-named back member, and means for releasably positioning the keeper in the latch.

5. In a shift binder ofthe character described having a. pair of back members hinged together, and having provisions whereby one back member may shift relative to the other thereof, the combination therewith of means for holding the back members releasably in a selected one of a plurality of relative hinged positions in all shifted positions of one back member relative to the other thereof, and means under control of the operator for releasing said holding means.

6. In a shift binder of the character describedhaving a pair of back members hinged relative hinged positions during shifting movements of one back member relative to the other thereof on their hinged connection, and means under control of the operator for releasing said holding means whereby the back members may open fully, the arrangement being such that when the back members are moved towards each other from the fully open position into a partly open position, said holding means will automatically again hold the back member in that partly open posltion. I

7. In a shift binder of the character described having a pair of back members hinged together with provisions whereby one back member may shift on the hinge connection relative to the other thereof, the combination therewith of releasable locking means for holding the back members in closed position,

or for holding the back members in a selected one of a plurality of open hinged positions, said locking means including a holding element elongated in the direction of the 1 hinge connection between the backs and providing a sliding connection whereby one back member maybe shifted relative to the other thereof while the back members are maintained in such selected position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of June, 1928. r JOHN L. MGMILLAN. 

